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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Worthy Commitments: Choosing Company Carefully

Series: Worthy CommitmentsSam* was trouble, but Sam was my friend. Sure, I had heard the saying, “Bad company corrupts good morals,” but as a teen hounded by raging peer pressure, it was a difficult standard to maintain. I met Sam when my father began pastoring a local church. He was one of the deacon’s kids. I had also heard preacher’s kids get in trouble by hanging around with deacon’s children. In my case, it was true.

Sam and I were beginning the same public high school. Not liking school any better than I did, he quickly introduced me to the art of cutting school. In 1975, it was easy since students were allowed to miss thirty days per school year with hardly a worry anyone would call your parents inquiring why you were absent. Sam was also a drinker and familiarized me with the alleged pleasures of alcohol. In short order, I was a teen who drank heavily and rarely attended school.

David made a wise commitment to avoid friends like Sam. I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me (Psalm 101: 6 NLT).If we’re not careful, we can choose friends who-while good at heart, aren’t good at influencing. Sam would have done anything for me, but what he did do I didn’t need. When choosing friends, select people near your age range, of the same marital status, who hold similar values as you and who will build you up through encouragement and holding you accountable. Most importantly, choose friends who love God supremely and others as themselves. These companions will complement your character rather than corrupt it.

Prayer: Spirit of Almighty God, enable us to choose friends who honor You and exert godly influences.